danievanzyl/code-skills/ralph-commit

Ralph Commit

Make a single git commit recording the current iteration: key decisions, files changed, and blockers/notes for the next iteration.

Usage

/ralph-commit [subject]

• subject — optional one-line commit subject. If omitted, derive from the diff.

Workflow

1. Sanity checks

Run in parallel:

git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
git status --porcelain
git diff --stat
git diff --cached --stat
git log -5 --oneline

• If git status --porcelain is empty: stop. Tell the user there is nothing to commit.
• If .env*, credentials*, *.pem, id_rsa* appear in status: ask before staging.
• Match commit subject tone to git log -5 --oneline.

2. Gather iteration context

Decisions and blockers do not live in the diff. Source them from, in order:

1. The current conversation (what the user/you decided this iteration, what is unresolved).
2. Recent assistant turns: deviations from plan, trade-offs taken, things deferred.
3. If still empty: ask the user for one line on decisions and one on blockers. Do not invent.

Files changed: derive from git status --porcelain + git diff --stat (post-stage).

3. Stage

git add -A

Skip secrets as noted above.

4. Build the message

Subject: user-provided arg, else a concise imperative line derived from the diff. Under 70 chars. Match repo tone.

Body template (omit a section only if truly empty after step 2):

<subject>
 
Decisions:
- <decision 1 — what + why, one line>
- <decision 2>
 
Files:
- <path> — <one-line what changed>
- <path> — <one-line what changed>
 
Blockers / next iteration:
- <blocker or note, or "none">

Rules for the body:

• One bullet per decision/file/blocker. No prose paragraphs.
• Decisions = choices made this iteration, not restatements of the diff.
• Files list mirrors git diff --cached --name-only. Group trivially related files if the list is long (>10).
• "Blockers / next iteration" must be present. If nothing is blocked, write - none.
• Sacrifice grammar for concision (see project CLAUDE.md).

5. Commit

Pass the body via HEREDOC to preserve formatting:

git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
<subject>
 
Decisions:
- ...
 
Files:
- ...
 
Blockers / next iteration:
- ...
EOF
)"

6. Confirm

After commit, run git log -1 --oneline and echo it on a single line so the user sees the new SHA + subject.

Rules

• One commit per invocation. Never amend unless the user explicitly asks.
• Never --no-verify. If a hook fails, fix the underlying issue and create a new commit.
• Never git add files matching .env*, credentials*, *.pem, id_rsa* without asking.
• Do not invent decisions or blockers. If the conversation gives nothing, ask the user — one short question — before committing.
• Do not push. This skill only commits.
• No Claude attribution / Co-Authored-By trailers unless the user asks.